Pre-season friendly
The Moat Ground
Saturday, 24th July 2004, 3.00pm
Blues hit for six!
They say that when you wait for a bus none turn up for ages then three come all at once!
It was a bit like that on Saturday. Gresley had not managed a goal in three pre-season games and the fans were wondering when the first one would come and low and behold six come in one game. Four of them in a blistering 4 minute spell in the second half.
Gresley got off to a good start putting their visitors under pressure from the off. On 2 minutes a cross from Ian Bluck found the head of Gary White but his header was comfortably held by Barking keeper Tony Tucker.
Two minutes later Jamie Barrett was allowed to run at the defence before passing to Liam Hebberd but the end shot was again comfortably held by Tucker.
It was not until the 12th minute that the Blues had any meaningful attempt on goal but home keeper Dale Belford was on hand to deny Declan Perkins with a fine block.
Gresley took the lead on 15 minutes when Hebberd made a good run down the right before crossing into the danger area. Karl Payne connected with the ball but his header came back off the bar. However, he was quickest to react and headed in the rebound.
On 19 minutes the Blues went close again this time Belford was forced to come off his line and this distracted Bill Read enough for his shot to go wide of the upright.
The visitors pulled level on 24 minutes when Perkins, given acres of space, headed in a cross from Dean Allen.
Eight minutes later they could have taken the lead when another header this time from John O'Sullivan went agonisingly wide.
On 40 minutes a fine run up the left by White led to a cross to Hebberd who dwelt on the ball a fraction too long and had the ball taken off him.
The visitors took the lead with only a couple of minutes remaining of the first half when a cross from the left by Read found O'Sullivan totally unmarked to head in at the far post another defensive lapse that must concern Rovers manager Gary Norton.
On 45 minutes Gresley drew level. Barrett put some good work before passing to White who unleashed a vicious left foot drive from the edge of the penalty area that flew into the net giving Tucker no chance.
Gresley should have gone in at the break with the lead. In time added on Aaron O' Connor was upended in the box by Devereaux but Bluck's spot kick was easily saved by Tucker down to his left.
Norton made a change of keeper for the second half bringing on James Pemberton for Belford and the young custodian was called into action on 53 minutes when he made a good block from Perkins - the ball rebounded back to Dave Riley who should have done far better but lobbed the ball over the empty goal.
However, the Blues did not have to wait too long for the lead. Two minutes later a superb through ball from Read put Perkins in on goal who expertly rounded Pemberton before slotting the ball home.
It looked as if the visitors would be taking a victory home with them until Norton made two changes on 58 minutes that had a devastating effect on the outcome of the game. Brothers Justin and Donovan Rowe were brought on for Payne and Nathan Tate.
On 63 minutes Tucker was called on to block a shot from O'Connor but five minutes later Gresley were level. Another defence testing run from Hebberd led to a cross to Barrett who's first time shot was well blocked by substitute keeper Mark Fay but Barrett pounced on the rebound to stick the ball home.
Almost straight from the re-start Gresley scored again. Justin Rowe ran the visitors' defence ragged skipping around four tackles before cracking in a shot that left the keeper helpless.
A minute later Justin's brother Donovan got in on the act and after leaving three defenders for dead smashed a shot past the keeper and into the net for Gresley's fifth.
The crowd had barely caught their breath when Justin Rowe added his second and Gresley sixth. A superb pass from Matt Smith into the path of a running Justin Rowe allowed the striker to complete the scoring with a fine volley.
On 74 minutes, just three minutes after the last goal, Justin Rowe almost got his hat trick but the ball was nicked off his toe just has he prepared to fire.
Four minutes later a blatant hand ball in the penalty area by a Blues defender, missed by the referee, stopped yet another goal from the rampant Justin Rowe.
Manager's View
"The goals are great but it's the ones we conceded that are more of a concern. I did say that we are going to start to compare ourselves and to see our we are shaping up in these kinds of games.
"Going forward today I thought we looked good but it does concern me a little bit with the kind of goals we are giving away. The first three goals against Notts County the other night were cheap as were the three today. There are concerns about the fitness levels of some of the defenders but I'm not overly concerned because there is still a bit to go.
"Going forward I thought we were superb at times. We've instructed the players on how we want to play going forward and to be fair in the first hard they were trying their hardest to play to instruction and there were decent football played at times.
"In the second half I couldn't have asked for a better performance. We tightened up a little at the back but we've still got a lot of work to do.
"The pick of the goals was Justin Rowe's. I started him on the bench today because he's worked hard this week. He played 90 minutes at Leek where he was on his own up front for 35 minutes, he had 60 minutes against Burton and the same against Notts County and I felt he looked a little tired in the County game. Four games in seven days is tough at this stage of the season so we just eased him out a bit today and introduced him for the last half hour. From a confidence point of view it will do him the world of good. He's flying now and he's delighted in the dressing room and that's why we brought him to the club. It was good that his brother Donovan got a goal as well.
"I was impressed with Liam Hebberd today. Although he didn't get himself on the score sheet I felt up front he did a fantastic job and then when we put him out on the right he was equally effective so we have some great attacking options this year in comparison with last year and that's with a few players who haven't got in the squad today such as Sean Gummer who is at a wedding.
"We need to tighten up defensively. Obviously Jamie Hood is due to come back and I'm hoping he will start some light training this week and I'm in talks with another central defender.
"We'd talked about the fact that we'd played three friendlies and not scored and it was a relief that Karl Payne got us a good goal and got us a start. I'm not too concerned about victories at this stage it's the performances I'm interested in. But the fact that we got one and a ruck of goals as well is pleasing. That's in the past now and we've got to look forward to Tuesday night at Chasetown and for more of the same."
